Sending Flowers From an Obituary Page: What Happens When You Click

Jump to a section 9 sections

The Send Flowers link on an obituary usually leads to a flower store, and that store is often run by a third party. The Sympathy Store, a service from funeralOne, is one common example. It is not the funeral home’s own shop, and the order is not placed with the funeral home. Before you pay, check who runs the store, who fills the order and where it will be delivered.

You don’t have to use the link. You can shop Bloom Lane sympathy flowers and send them to the funeral home or the family’s home. Delivery is included in every price, with only tax extra.

What the link opens

funeralOne describes The Sympathy Store as a plug-in for funeral home websites. Its FAQ says the store is “specifically designed so your website visitors can access it directly from the obituary and main navigation of your website.” It also says the store “keeps website visitors on your funeral firm’s website during their entire shopping experience.” That is why the store can look like part of the funeral home’s site even though funeralOne runs it.

Other obituary and funeral website providers offer their own flower partners, and the arrangement can differ from one platform to another. If you are not sure who runs the store behind a link, look for the company name in the page footer or terms, or ask the funeral home directly.

Who fills the order

funeralOne says its flower orders go through national floral wire networks, so a local florist can make and deliver the arrangement. Its guided tour says the store “does not sell box flowers,” and that flowers are hand-delivered by a florist.

The florist’s name may not be shown on the order page. One customer on a complaints site says the company would not name the florist who filled their order, which made it hard to raise a concern with that shop. That is one customer’s account, not a finding about every order. Ask who will make and deliver the arrangement before you pay, and keep the confirmation.

What the funeral home earns

Funeral homes that use The Sympathy Store earn a commission on sales. funeralOne’s FAQ says, “You earn a commission on each sale made through The Sympathy Store,” and that rates depend on the gift type and the purchase amount, excluding sales tax, service fees, and shipping and handling. Commission is a normal part of how many funeral homes offer flowers and gifts, and it does not by itself mean an order is poor value. Our guide to whether funeral homes get a commission on flowers explains the question in more detail.

Check the obituary first

The notice often tells you more than the link does. Before you click, read the whole obituary and look for:

• The service date, time and place. Flowers sent to a funeral home or chapel need to arrive before the service, and the venue may have its own receiving hours.
• “In lieu of flowers” or a donation request. If the family asks for donations, follow that request. What “in lieu of flowers” means explains how to respond.
• “Family flowers only.” Some notices limit flowers to close family. If that is the wording, a store link does not change the request.
• Where the family wants flowers. Some families ask for flowers at the funeral home, and others ask for them at home. Check the notice or ask the funeral home before you choose a delivery address.

Choose where the flowers go

The Send Flowers link often offers a choice between sending flowers to the funeral home or to the family’s home. These are different decisions:

• To the funeral home or chapel. The arrangement will be seen during the service. Confirm the venue’s receiving time and whether it allows a standing spray or floor piece.
• To the family’s home. This suits a family who will not be at the service, or a gift the household can enjoy later. Confirm the address privately, and choose something that can be placed indoors.

Our guide on how to send flowers to a funeral home covers what the funeral home usually needs, and whether funeral homes accept flower deliveries explains how to confirm a receiving plan.

Check the order before you pay

Some checks are worth doing on any funeral order, whether it comes from an obituary link or a florist’s website:

• The finished size. A photo is a guide, and the delivered piece may differ. Ask for the finished dimensions of the option you choose.
• The total. Compare the price with service fees and tax included, and with a florist’s price for a similar piece.
• The refund and exchange terms. Read them before checkout. funeralOne says it handles returns and exchanges for The Sympathy Store.
• The delivery plan. Confirm the date, the address and who will receive the flowers.

Some customers on a complaints site describe a delivered arrangement that was smaller than the photo, had substitutions they did not expect, or arrived wilted. Those are individual accounts, and the complaints site does not show the store’s side. If something does go wrong, our guide to sympathy store order problems explains what to check and whom to contact.

Order from a florist instead

If you would rather not use the store on the obituary page, you can order from a florist directly. Our comparison of The Sympathy Store and ordering from a florist sets out the differences in ordering, fees and delivery. The guide to buying funeral flowers through a funeral home or florist covers the same choice from the buyer’s side.

Bloom Lane is a separate, independent florist and is not affiliated with The Sympathy Store, funeralOne or HelloFlowers. Our sympathy collections include flowers for a service and for a family’s home. Delivery is included in the price on every order, and applicable tax is extra. Look at the photo, size and contents of the option you choose, and confirm the address and receiving plan before you order.

Questions about sending flowers from an obituary page

What does the Send Flowers link on an obituary do?

On many funeral home sites, it opens a flower store that a third party runs. The Sympathy Store is one example. The store may let you send flowers to the funeral home or to the family’s home, depending on the options it offers.

Does the funeral home get paid when I order?

funeralOne says funeral homes earn a commission on sales made through The Sympathy Store, at rates that depend on the gift type and purchase amount. Other providers may use different arrangements.

Who will actually make my arrangement?

The store’s provider says orders are filled through national floral networks by a local florist. The order page may not show the florist’s name, so ask before you pay.

Should I order even if the notice says “in lieu of flowers”?

Follow the family’s request. If the notice asks for donations instead of flowers, a donation is the response the family has asked for. Our guide to what “in lieu of flowers” means explains how to respond.

Can I send flowers to the funeral home instead of the family’s home?

Often, yes, but it depends on the funeral home’s receiving plan and the service schedule. Call the funeral home to confirm the receiving time before you order.

Further reading

• funeralOne: The Sympathy Store Guided Tour
• funeralOne Blog: Sympathy Store Uses
• funeralOne Blog: Your Questions Answered, The Sympathy Store by funeralOne
• Complaints Board: The Sympathy Store by HelloFlowers.com (customer reviews)